Steel frog tie with special clips



Sept. 16, 1952 E. E. ROECKER STEEL FROG TIE WITH SPECIAL CLIPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3, 1949 E M f\ E. E. ROECKER STEEL FROG TIE WITH SPECIAL CLIPS Sept. 16, 1952 Filed May 3, 1949 Sept. 16, 1 952 E. E. ROECKER STEEL FROG TIE WITH SPECIAL CLIPS Filed Ma 3, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Earl E 153066112): 15y fi/Z fllml' ly KNEE 1/. My E Q N & MN \N NM MA N .NN .BN MMM N Patented Sept. 16, 1952 e i 7 2,611,077 l a STEEL moor 'rie 'wrrir sPno aL c ips [Earl Edward Roeeker, Easton, Pa., assignor to .l Bethlehem Steel "Company,

7 Pennsylvania i Application ay a, 1949, Serial No; 91,159

a corporation of 9 Claims. (Cl. 246468) My invention'relates in general'to turnoutstfor light railways, and particularly to steel ties "and fastening means for maintaining turnout frogs in rigid and properly spaced relation to adjoining track structure. 1

'A rail turnout, for diverting rolling stock from one track to another," consists essentially of a switch, switch stand, frog, and curved and straight rails resting on cross ties which provide proper gaging and support.

'The frog is located at the intersection of the straight closure rail and the inner curved turnout rail, and permits the wheels and wheel flanges running on either rail to crosstheother. v

u Narrow, gage light rail tracks, such as are used in mines, quarries, and industrial plants, generally employ cast manganese steel frogs, without movable parts, bolted 'to the rails'and'kept in place on metal ties by means of bolted or riveted clips furnished in unitary assembled relation with the ties. The usual type of clip must take both the side thrust" and the upward force of the loaded frog, and the bolted fastenings are'especially apt to become loose and slide out of place. Moreover, both right and left hand turnouts occur in track practice, and a reversible tie is therefore desirable. Mine tracks and turnouts are also often'moved and relaid, so that ease of installation and removal is a great advantage.

One object of my invention,'therefore, is to provide a support tie which is particularly adapted for use under a turnout frog. 1

Another object is to provide an easily installed tie without loose clips or fastenings, and which will maintain correct track gage.

Another object is to provide a frog tie having clips with duplex beveled faces so as to fit either a right or left hand turnout.

- A further object is to provide a clip which is relieved of side thrust.-

Additional objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the specification and in the appended claims; and in orderthat my invention may be more readily understood, I shall now refer to the three sheets of drawings hereto annexed and in which like characters of reference indicate'like parts::

."Figureulisa top'planview of a right hand turnout in which fixed and movable frog clips are each held in place by tworivets through the tie: and the spacer plate of the clip; I .Fig. -2 is a longitudinalxvertical section, taken on the line Z-Zfof Fig. '4', of a movable doublebeveled clip mounted by two rivets as aforesaid adjacent the toeend of the frog in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the clip shown in Fig-,2;

Fig.4 is a transverse vertical section;taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, of the clip shown in Figs; 2 nd3z" Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a left hand turn-f out in which the frog clips have four mounting' rivets, for use with larger frogs and heavier track;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken on the line 6B'of Fig. 8, of the double-beveledmtw-I able clip secured by fourfrivets as aforesaid ad jacent the toe end of the frog in Fig. 5; j

' Fig; '7 is a top plan view of the clip shown in: Fi j .Fig. 8 is 'ajtransverse vertical setiontalgehi on the line B'8 of Fig. 6, of the clipjshown in Figs'fiand'l; v

Fig.9 is a top plan view v of thedouble-beveled stationary clip shown adjacent the toe endfoifl V the froginFig. 1; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the clip shown'in Fig.9; i i" Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the straight-sided movable clip shown adjacent the heel end..,oi the frog in Fig. 1'; Fig. 12 is a side elevation ofthe clip showrifin Fig.11; V Fig. 13 is a top plan view ofv the double-beveled stationary clip shown adjacent the heel end of the frOginFigl; ..1

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the clip'show'n in Fig-.1

Fig. 1571s a top plan view of the double -beveled? stationary clip shown adjacent the toe end ofthe.

frogin Fig. q Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the clip shownin Fig..15;

17 is a P. plan view of the straight t'id id.

movable clip shown adjacent the heel end-of'the frogin Fig. 5;

Fig. 18. isfa side elevation of the clip shown Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19, is a top plan view of the double-beveled stationary clip shown adjacent the heel end of:

the frog in Fig. 5; and.

Fig. 20 is a side elevation conventionally, light rail frogs are classified of the clip shown in by a series of numbers, from 2'to 6, whichare roughly-equivalent to one-half the cotangent of one-half the frog angle. Frogs of smaller angles, hence higher numbers, are generally used with the heavier rails .of this type. For example, :a- No;-.2 /2 fr0g. of 22 37'. 12" angle, as frequently used with 40 lb. rails, is shown inthe turnout-oi 4.- 1-\---: 3 Fig. 1; whereas a No. 3 frog, of 18 55 29" angle, commonly employed with 60 lb. rails, is shown in Fig. 5. It is apparent, therefore, that clips for the lighter and wider frogs will necessarily differ to a certain extent in details from clips intended for heavier duty, even though in principle they are substantially the same.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, both the =-.turnoutsshown in Figs. 1 and rest upon conventional ties I which may be wood or metal as preferred, and upon metal turnout ties which may be conveniently .designated by their locations as switch stand ties 2, switch point ties 3, and frog ties 4-and :5. The

switch stand ties 2 are lengthened'to support on their extremities a switch stand (not shown), from which by means of the switch rod 5 the switch points 1 may be thrown to divert travel from the straight rails 8, 9, l0 and II .to the.

curved rails l2, I3 and 44. At the intersection of the straight closure fandmain rails l0 and H with the curved closure and turnout rails 12 and I3, there is located the frog [5 having conventional base flange [6, point I], toeend portion I8 and heel end portion [9. The guard rail 20, shown opposite the frog in Fig. 5, may be considered optional.

[The 1mg ties .4 and 5 are rolled. or pressed steel sections having a central depressed trough orlchannelportion'Zl, flat elevated side ridges 32 and turned downlongitudinal side edges 23 to impart the required rigidity. The frog tie 4 extends from'be'neath the toe endof the frog l5, adjacent the point H, to beneath the opposite curved turnoutrail l4 (Fig. 1) .orsaid rail l4 andi uardrail (Fig. 5). The frog ,tie 5 simi- Iarly'extends from beneath the heelend of the frog L5.to underneath the opposite straight main rail'ii. Stationary clips 24 and movable clips secure the outer ends of said frogties 4 and 5 .to said curved turnout rail i4'and straight main rail 8.

The inner ends of said frog ties are fastened to 'the'base flanges l6 of the frog I5'by special frog clips, each of which essentially comprises afixed flat spacer plate for taking side thrust, and a separate element, either fixed or rotatable, for taking the upward thrust.

Referring now to 'Fig. 1, the ,toeend of the frog I5 is held by the stationary frog clip '26 (Figs. 9 and 10) and the movable frog clip 21 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4). The stationary clip 26 has a spacer plate 2.8 vertically beveledto form two contact faces 29 and 30 making equal and opposite angles with a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the tie 4, one of which faces abuts the adjacent base flange I5 of the frog l5; and a projecting upper flat plate 3|, beveled similarly with contact faces 32 and '33, and "held down firmly on said flange by two rivets 34 vertically extending through thetie 4. Asshown in'Fig's. 2 to '4, inclusive, the spacer plate 35 of the frog clip 2'! is also beveled, having the contact faces 36 and 31, and is -heldto said -tie 4 by a pair of rivets 38. The clip, bar 39 is provided with double beveled contactfaces 40 and 4| and striking lug 42 and revolves on the-rivet 43 securing it to the spacer plate 35. Referringfurther to-Fig. 1, the heel end of the-frog I5 is held tothetie S-bythe stationary clip 44 and :the movable'clip 45, arranged as shown in staggered relation -to the top end stationary and'movable clips 26 and 21. be seen in Figs. 13 and 14, the stationary clip .alsohas a double-beveledspacer plate 46am! a similarly beveled and projecting upper plate- As will- 41, held by rivets 48; and the movable clip 45, shown in Figs. 11 and 12, has a spacer plate 49, held by rivets 50, and a clip bar 5|, pivoted on rivet 52. It will be noted that on the contact face 53 of the spacer plate 49 and on the contact face 54 of the clip bar 5| the difference from corresponding parts of the movable clip 27 is that "the former contact .faces are straight and without bevel.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the toe end of the -:f11og I5 is secured to the tie 4 by the stationary clip 55 (Figs. 15 and 16) and the movable clip 56 (Figs. 6-8), while the heel end of the frog is similarly secured to the tie 5 by the staggered .stationary clip-51 '(Figs. 19 and 20) and the movable clip58 (Figs. 17 and 18). The stationary clips .55 and 51 are like the corresponding stationary clips 26 and 44 in Fig. 1, except that the heavier frog clip is secured by four rivets 59 to the tie, and the angles of the beveled contact faces of the lower and upper plates are slightly different.

Similarly, the movable clips 56 and 58 are similar .to the movable clips 27 and 45 of Fig. 1, except for the four securing rivets 60.

.Since the shape of the base flange .at the heel end of the frog will generally correspond roughly to the angle of the frog point 11, as shown in Figs. land 5, it isobvious that the inner heel clips '45 and 58 will .need little or'no bevel, while, on the contrary, the outer heel clips will have the largest amount of bevel, in accordance with the particular frog angle. The bevel angles of the toe end clips 'will normally be smaller, and will depend chiefly on constructional details of the particular'frog, such aswidely diverging or substantially parallel base flanges.

Installation of "the frog clips is simple. The frog is placed in position 'on the tie, with its base flanges abutting the stationary clips. A few blows of a hammer against the upright striking lugs turn the movable clip bars into position over the frog base flanges. The clips will then hold the frog firmly in place to accurate gage with the rails of the turnout.

Although I have described and illustrated my invention hereinabove .in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details thereof as shown and described, but I may use such modifications, substitutions, or equivalents thereof .as are embraced within the scope of my invention-or as are pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination, with the main rails and turnout rails and the frogof a track turnout, of-a metal tie extending beneath the curved turnout rail and the toe end :of the frog, a second metal tie extending beneath the straight :main rail and the heel end of the frog, spacer plates mounted on each tie andengaging opposite sides of ;the;base of the--frog,:and a frog-engaging clip member-mounted on each .spacerplate, each of said spacer plates and clip members having beveled inner contact faces.

2. The combination 'with a metal ,frog tie, of a pair of spacer plates seated on said tie, .a frog-engaging clip -seated upon .eachspacer plate, fasteningmeanssecnring'the spacer plates to the tie, and fastening .means securing each clip 'toa spacer plate seated on said tie, a frog-engaging beveled clip bar seated upon the spacer plate, fastening means rigidly securing the spacer plate to the tie, and fastening means pivotally securing the clip bar to the spacer plate.

4. The combination with a metal frog tie, of a beveled spacer plate seated on said tie, a plurality of rivets extending upwardly through the tie and said spacer plate, and a frog-engaging beveled clip bar rotatably seated upon the spacer plate.

5. The combination with a metal frog tie, of a spacer plate seated on said tie, a plurality of rivets extending upwardly through the tie and said spacer plate, a frog-engaging clip bar having converging beveled end faces and seated upon the spacer plate, and a single rivet eX- tending upwardly through the spacer plate and the clip bar permitting the clip bar to rotate into engagement of one of said beveled end faces with the base of the frog.

6. The combination, with a metal frog tie, of a spacer plate with beveled end faces seated on said tie, and a clip bar seated upon said spacer plate and also provided with beveled end faces, the angle of bevel of the end faces of said spacer plate and clip bar being dependent upon the frog angle between said end faces.

7. The combination, with a metal frog tie, of a spacer plate seated on said tie and adapted to bear against the frog base flange, and a clip bar seated upon said spacer plate and having an inverted V-shaped terminal face projecting over and engaging the upper ,face of the frog base flange.

8. The combination with a metal frog tie, of a spacer plate seated on said tie, and a clip bar seated upon said spacer plate and provided with frog-engaging faces making equal and opposite angles with a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the tie so as to fit frogs in either REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 345,733 Sailliez July 20, 1886 1,107,018 Bartley Aug. 11, 1914 1,467,129 Warr Sept. 4, 1923 1,784,367 Long Dec. 9, 1930 1,834,464 Long Dec. 1, 1931 

